Arm support in sling

ABSTRACT

An arm supporting pillow in sling apparatus, comprising in combination a flexible sling, with a strap to be supported by a user&#39;s shoulder area, an insert pillow received in the sling, to be retrievable from the sling, the sling and pillow dimensioned to receive a user&#39;s forearm alongside the pillow, in the sling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to human arm supports, and moreparticularly to comfortably supporting that forearm in an immobileposition, spaced from the torso.

There is need for such arm supporting device, and particularly aftersurgery, and when a patient is bedridden. In particular, there is needfor a simple, effective, arm support that is easily applied with minimumdisturbance to the arm itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved arm supportapparatus meeting the above need, and employing an arm supportingpillow. Basically the invention is embodied in a sling apparatus thatcomprises, in combination:

a) a flexible sling, with a strap to be supported by a user's shoulderarea,

b) an insert pillow received in the sling, and to be retrievable fromthe sling,

c) the sling and pillow dimensioned to receive a user's forearmalongside the pillow, in the sling.

As will be seen, the pillow typically has a width between 2½ and 5inches, to support the forearm at that distance from the human torso towhich the sling is applied, the pillow extending forwardly, along sidethe forearm and held in that position by the sling. Also, the pillowpreferably consists of foam material, and has a jacket covering the foammaterial, and may have releasable connection to the sling forpositioning.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sling havingforwardly extending panels which are foldable to be connectable togetheralong upper extent of the sling, to close the sling over the user'sforearm and pillow, and to allow upward opening of the sling to releasethe user's forearm and the pillow.

Yet another object is to provide a strap that extends above the user'sbody and has opposite ends respectively connected to the sling and tothe pillow, and having length to extend about the user's body.

A further object is to provide a sling having a releasable drop panelwhich, when dropped, allows the user's forearm to dangle downwardly fromand below the sling. A user's hand holder associated with the pillow ismanipulable to release the hand and arm, to hang downwardly asdescribed.

An added object is to provide a sling having a bottom panel which isadjustable in width to allow sling size adjustment. Such sling sizeadjustment easily accommodates to different size (width) arms to beretained against the side of the pillow by the sling, so that only onesize pillow is needed, but multiple sizes are accommodated.

The novel sling and pillow apparatus therefore has many advantages aswell as multiple modes of operation, all embodied within a single,effective, easily applied and removed apparatus, particularly asrespects bedridden patients.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as thedetails of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understoodfrom the following specification and drawings, in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 are frontal and rearward perspective views of preferredapparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view showing sling panels separated away from a pillowretained in the sling;

FIG. 4 is a view of a bedridden patient to which the sling apparatus andpillow are easily applied, as for example by pillow insertion into theopened sling;

FIG. 5 is a more detailed view, taken in frontal perspective, showingthe opened sling, and pillow;

FIG. 6 is a plan view taken in section on lines 6—6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken in elevation on lines 7—7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section showing a modification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings, a flexible sling 10 has a strap 11 to be supported by auser's shoulder area 12 a, so that the strap extends at 11 a at thefront of the user's body 12, and at 11 b at the rear of the body.

The sling has spaced apart, forwardly extending panels 10 a and 10 b,which are foldable to be connected together along upper extent 10 c ofthe sling, as for example is shown in FIG. 7. Panel 10 a is an innerpanel positioned to rest against the user's side 14; and panel 10 b isan outer panel positioned to extend as shown, adjacent the user's arm 12b in space 15. A connection is shown at 16 for interconnecting upperextents of the panels, in a forward and rearward direction 17. Thatconnection may for example comprise hook and pile elements, as shown,enabling ready release of the connection 16.

An insert pillow 18 is received into the sling, as for exampledownwardly when connection 16 is opened as seen in FIG. 5. The receivedpillow is located in space 20, between arm space 15 and panel 10 a,whereby the pillow comfortably holds the user's arm 12 b in outwardlyspaced relation to the user's side 14, the tensioned sling panel 10 bholding the user's arm against the pillow side 18 a. The pillow mayconsist of yieldably compressible pad material 22 such as foam rubber,or foam plastic, and a jacket 23 surrounding the pad, as at 23 a–23 d,in FIG. 7. A finger or hand retention strap 24 extends adjacent theforward end of the pillow at its side facing space 15. The strap lowerend 24 a has hook and loop connection to the pillow, bottom panel 10 eas at 70.

The pillow itself preferably has adjustable VELCRO connection to thesling, as at connection 26 to sling panel 10 a, to adjustably positionthe pillow in the sling, for most comfort to the user's arm 12 b.

Sling strap 11 a has connection to upper portions 10 a′ and 10 b′ ofboth sling panels 10 a and 10 b, as seen in FIG. 7. See ring 30connecting adjustable strap 32 to loop 32 a; and see ring 33 connectingadjustable strap 32 b to loop 32. Ring 35 connects loop 32 to slingshoulder strap 11 a, as shown. Hook and loop connections 31 a and 34 aallow length adjustment of folded-back straps 31 and 34 whereby rotarypositioning (see arrow 50) of the pillow in the sling can be achieved;and hook and loop connection 37 allows length adjustment of sling strap11 b.

When strap 31 is disconnected from panel 10 b, outer sling panel 10 bcan be dropped, after release of the connection 16. This allowsalternative downward flexing and positioning of the user's arm 12 b, asto a hanging condition, as seen in FIG. 3, below the level of the slingpanel 10 b, as for arm medical or other treatment, without requiringremoval of the pillow 18 from the sling. Thereafter, the user's forearm12 b can be flexed up at the elbow and re-positioned adjacent the pillowside as in FIG. 7, and the panel 10 b re-attached at 16 to panel 10 a,and strap 31 re-attached to loop 32. These steps can be easilyaccomplished while the user is in lying or reclining position, as in amedical facility as seen in FIG. 4, without disturbing the sling straps10 a and 10, or a body retention strap 45. The latter has attachment tothe sling at 46, as seen in FIG. 2, and to the pillow at 47 as seen inFIG. 5. These connections assure positioning of the pillow in the sling,during use and adjustment. The user's hand 12 c is shown in FIG. 1,retained to the pillow by strap 24.

FIG. 8 shows an optional sling bottom panel 10 d which is adjustable inwidth between side panels 10 a and 10 b. See overlapping sections 10 d′and 10 d″ of panel 10 d, VELCRO connected to allow width adjustment of10 d, below the pillow.

The pillow width is typically between 2½ and 6 inches. The pillow mayconsist of an inflatable container, rather than foam rubber of foamplastic.

1. An arm supporting pillow in sling apparatus, comprising incombination a) a flexible sling, with a strap to be supported by auser's shoulder area, b) an insert pillow received in the sling, andretrievable from the sling, the pillow having elongated block shape, andthe sling and inner side of the pillow each having adjustable hook andloop configurations adapted for attachment of the pillow to the innerside of the sling, c) the sling and pillow dimensioned to receive auser's forearm alongside the pillow, in the sling, d) the sling havingforwardly extending panels which are foldable to be connectable togetheralong upper extent of the sling, spaced above the pillow, to close thesling over the user's forearm and pillow, and to allow upward opening ofthe sling to release the user's forearm and the pillow, e) there being auser's forearm receiving pocket formed between the pillow in the slingand outer extent of the sling facing inwardly toward the pillow, anddefining one of said panels.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein thepillow has a width between 2½ inch and 6 inches.
 3. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein the strap has releasable connection to the sling,proximate fore and aft ends thereof.
 4. The combination of claim 1wherein the sling has a releasable drop panel which, when dropped,allows the user's forearm to dangle downwardly from and below the sling.5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the drop panel, when released,dangles downwardly from a rear portion of the sling while remainingcarried by the sling.
 6. The combination of claim 1 including a handholder carried adjacent a fore portion of the pillow.
 7. The combinationof claim 6 wherein the hand holder comprises a strap, adjustablyattached to the pillow.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the pillowconsists of foam material, and has a jacket covering the foam material.9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said pillow consists of one of thefollowing: i) foam rubber, ii) foam plastic, iii) an inflatablecontainer.
 10. The combination of claim 1 including a body strap havingopposite ends respectively connected to the sling and to the pillow, andhaving length to extend about the user's body.
 11. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein the pillow has releasable connection to the sling. 12.The combination of claim 1 wherein the pillow has releasable connectionto one of the panels.
 13. The combination of claim 1 including the slinghaving a bottom panel which is adjustable in width to allow sling sizeadjustment.
 14. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sling strap hasadjustable connection to said panels, allowing limited rotary adjustmentof the sling and pillow about a forwardly extending axis.